1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cord fastener, which is used by threading a tightening cord attached to a periphery of collar, waist, sleeve edge and hood of a ski wear, down jacket with hood, half coat and the like therethrough and fixed, or which is used to prevent the tightening cord from slipping out by being fixed to an end of the tightening cord, and further a cord fastener attached to an end of a gripping cord as a pull tab of slider of a slide fastener provided on the surface of a traveling caster bag or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional cord fastener through which the tightening cord is threaded, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-39449 has disclosed a cord fastener in which as shown in FIG. 16, a cord insertion hole 15xe2x80x2 is provided in a body portion 14xe2x80x2 of a sliding body 2xe2x80x2, a pair of leg portions 18xe2x80x2 having an elasticity are provided below the body portion 2xe2x80x2, while a cord insertion hole 15xe2x80x2 is provided in a cylindrical body 1xe2x80x2 having a bottom and a pair of slopes 9xe2x80x2 are formed at a bottom portion inside the cylinder thereby providing the sliding body 2xe2x80x2 with a resilient function by disposing the pair of the elastic leg portions 18xe2x80x2 and the slopes 9xe2x80x2 so that they oppose each other.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-23909 has disclosed a cord fastener comprising, as shown in FIG. 17, a spherical main body 101xe2x80x2 having a hollow portion 105xe2x80x2 in which a sliding body 102xe2x80x2 can fit and slide along a guide portion 108xe2x80x2 and cord insertion holes 107xe2x80x2 on both sides, the sliding body 102xe2x80x2 having a pair of elastic leg portions 108xe2x80x2 extending downward from a bottom face of a head portion 113xe2x80x2 thereof and a pair of supporting pieces 121xe2x80x2, while a cord insertion hole 115xe2x80x2 is made in the supporting piece 121xe2x80x2 such that a bottom of the head portion 113xe2x80x2 is in contact with a top portion of the cord insertion hole 115xe2x80x2. In this cord fastener, after the sliding body 102xe2x80x2 is inserted into the main body 101xe2x80x2 and an end of the tightening cord is inserted along the bottom face of the head portion 113xe2x80x2, it is inserted through the cord insertion hole 107xe2x80x2 in the main body 101xe2x80x2 and the elastic leg portions 118xe2x80x2 are resiled by the slopes formed at a bottom portion of the hollow portion 105xe2x80x2, so that the sliding body 102xe2x80x2 is resiled upward so as to fasten the tightening cord.
According to a cord fastener disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-332104, in which an end portion of the tightening cord is nipped, as shown in FIG. 18, the cord fastener is formed of a pair of nipping bodies 3xe2x80x2 having the same shape, and the nipping bodies 3xe2x80x2 forms an opening through which the tightening cord is inserted, at an end thereof and contains an accommodating portion 25xe2x80x2 for holding the tightening cord inward of the opening, several pieces of projecting portions 29xe2x80x2 are provided so as to project on opposing faces of the accommodating portion 25xe2x80x2 so as to hold the tightening cord, and engaging portions 27xe2x80x2 for holding mating nipping bodies 3xe2x80x2 are provided on both sides of the accommodating portion 25xe2x80x2 to nip the end of the tightening cord.
Because both the cord fastener through which the tightening cord is threaded and the cord fastener in which an end of the tightening cord is nipped have a smooth surface, they are difficult to capture and fix, and therefore, the cord fastener swings freely when a user takes exercise wearing clothes using the same cord fastener or the wind is strong, thereby it is unsightly to see or it may hit the user""s face.
Accordingly the present invention has been developed in views of the above problems, and therefore, an object according to a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a cord fastener made of thermoplastic resin, having a holding mechanism capable of capturing and holding the cord fastener in which a tightening cord is inserted through or an end of the tightening cord is nipped, with stability, the cord fastener having a surface fastener member on the surface of the cord fastener as the holding mechanism.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a cord fastener, through which the tightening cord is threaded, comprising a sliding body having an elasticity and a main body in which the sliding body can fit, wherein a surface fastener member is disposed on the surface of the main body as a holding mechanism.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cord fastener in which an end of the tightening cord is nipped, comprising a pair of nipping bodies of the same shape in which the nipping bodies are superimposed, wherein a surface fastener member is disposed on the surface of the nipping body as a holding mechanism.
Further object of the invention is to provide a cord fastener wherein a male portion of the surface fastener member is disposed as a holding mechanism on a surface of one side of the main body or combined nipping bodies of the cord fastener, the configuration of the male portion being specified so as to perform an excellent holding function.
Still further object of the invention is to provide a cord fastener, wherein a male portion, a female portion or female/male mixing portion of the surface fastener member is disposed as a holding mechanism on a surface of one side of the main body or combined nipping bodies of the cord fastener, thereby an excellent holding function being performed depending on use condition of each thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cord fastener, wherein a surface fastener member is disposed as a holding mechanism on surfaces of both sides of the main body or combined nipping bodies of the cord fastener so that any of the surfaces is capable of engaging thereby performing an excellent holding function.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cord fastener wherein a surface fastener member is disposed as a holding mechanism on the surface of the main body or nipping body and the other surface fastener member is disposed as a holding mechanism on the surface of a product using this cord fastener such that both the surface fastener members are capable of engaging with each other, thereby determining a holding place on the product so that the cord fastener can be fixed easily and provides a neat appearance.
To achieve the above objects, according to the invention, there is provided a cord fastener made of thermoplastic resin having cord insertion holes through which a tightening cord is threaded, wherein a surface fastener member is disposed by integral molding or fusing as a holding mechanism on an outside face of the cord fastener away from the cord insertion holes in the cord fastener.
Preferably, the cord fastener further comprises a sliding body having the cord insertion hole through which the tightening cord is inserted, passing to both sides and an elastic mechanism having an elasticity provided at a bottom thereof and a cylindrical or spherical main body engaging with the sliding body and having an escape preventing mechanism for preventing the sliding body from being escaped and the cord insertion hole through which the tightening cord passes, provided on both sides thereof, wherein the surface fastener member is disposed on an outside face of the main body.
Also preferably, the cord fastener further comprises a pair of nipping bodies which engage with each other by superimposing, wherein the cord insertion hole in which the tightening cord can be inserted is provided at a top portion of the pair of the nipping bodies, cord nipping mechanism is provided on opposing faces of the nipping bodies and the surface fastener member is disposed on an outside face of the nipping body.
Preferably, a male portion of the surface fastener member disposed on an outside face of the main body or nipping body is formed integrally with the main body or nipping body by injection molding means or extrusion means.
Alternatively, the surface fastener member disposed on the outside surface of the main body or nipping body is formed by fusing or bonding a male portion of the surface fastener member formed by injection molding means or extrusion means to the surface of the main body or nipping body.
Also alternatively, the surface fastener member disposed on the outside surface of the main body or nipping body is the surface fastener member formed by weaving or knitting multi-filament or mono-filament of synthetic fiber, the surface fastener member comprising the male portion, female portion or female/male mixing portion and being bonded to the surface of the main body or nipping body.
Also preferably, the surface fastener member is disposed on the both outside surfaces of the main body or the both outside surfaces of the nipping bodies by integral molding, fusion or bonding.
Further preferably, the surface fastener member is disposed on the outside surface of the main body or nipping body and other surface fastener member engaging the surface fastener member is disposed on part of a surface of a product using the cord fastener, for example, a ski wear and down jacket with hood, such that both the surface fastener members are capable of engaging with each other.